Stagger Lee

1990 - 2000

1992. While still a Rolling Stone, Bill Wyman forms a side project, Willie and the Poor Boys. He later forms Bill Wyman and the Bootleg Kings and Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings. Stagger Lee is a staple for them all. Wyman also includes Pine Top Smith’s "Stack O'Lee Blues" on the Bill Wyman Blues Odyssey documentary/book/soundtrack.

1993. Bob Dylan reaches back to 1927 and covers Frank Hutchison’s version. Dylan writes of the song: "truth is shadowy. in the pre-postindustrial age, victims of violence were allowed (in fact it was their duty) to be judges over their offenders -- parents were punished for their children's crimes (we've come a long way since then) the song says that a man's hat is his crown."

1996. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds interpreted Stagger Lee on their 1996 album Murder Ballads. The song has been a mainstay of their live set ever since. Nick found the lyrics in a collection of folk poetry gathered in New York prisons in the 50s and 60s. "The gods gave us this song and they were pissing themselves with laughter when they did it."